These are the original four verses created by Wade (language, capitalization
and punctuation as per Dom John Stéphan, both for these verses and for the
verses which follow). These verses are sometimes referred to as the "English
Cento."

Three additional verses were subsequently created by Abbé Étienne Jean
François Borderies (1764-1832), and printed in the Office de St. Omer
(1822). According to Dom Stéphan, Borderies composed these verses, which he
coupled with the first stanza by Wade:

Erik Routley gives the following literal translation of verse six: "We shall
see the Eternal Splendour of the Eternal Father veiled in flesh. God as a child
wrapped in Swaddling-clothes." (The English Carol. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1959).

The English translations on this site do not follow
the usual order of verses. The English Hymnal, 1906, #614, The New English Hymnal,
1986, #30, The New Oxford Book of Carols, 1992, #70, all of which
give this order: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 3, 4. See:
O Come All Ye Faithful - Version 3
for this order. Note that Hymns Ancient and Modern (Old Edition, 1889)
and The Book of Common Praise (1909) give only verses 1-4, as found above
(and as reproduced in Version 1: O Come, All Ye
Faithful).

Paul Hodges, a friend of this site, gives the following order, which he
obtained from a companion to one of the major English or Scottish hymnals: 1, 2,
5, 8, 6, 7, 3, 4.

Author unknown. 18th cent. Translation [of O Come,
All Ye Faithful] by Canon Oakeley. There are forty translations. The
complete hymn consists of eight stanzas, four of which are commonly used at
Benediction during Christmastide. There are four translations of this hymn in
Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus; the one by J. C. Earle is a translation of
the complete hymn. The Adeste Fideles is not found in the Breviary or Missal. It
is a beautiful invitation to the faithful "to come to Bethlehem" in spirit, and
worship the new-born Saviour.

"With the exception of the
Dies iræ and the Stabat Mater," says W. J. Grattan-Flood,
Mus.D., "it is doubtful if there is a more popular hymn in our churches than the
Adeste Fideles" (The Dolphin, Dec, 1905). The above translation is literal. In
line 15, Io is an interj. expressing great joy. Line 17, aula cœlestium,
the court of the blessed, the heavenly court.